Olari Timocracy
The Olari are a race of force-sensitive (but not Force strong) humans who are most well-known for their ties to Obi-Wan Kenobi's descendants as well as their intelligence network, Saber. Originally from the planet Olaran which was located near the edges of the Unknown Region, the Olari created and established a vast intelligence network throughout the known galaxy and fed that information to the Jedi Order and the Old Republic. Following Emperor Palpatine's creation of the Empire, the Olari abandoned their homeworld and moved deeper into the Unknown Regions and settled the system they would come to call New Olaran. They continued to operate their intelligence network to help the Rebel Alliance (and later the New Republic) as well as the Jedi. Culture and Society The Olari were originally a warrior race and their society bears the marks of this history. They are divided into twenty clans with each clan being led by a chieftain. These chieftains, in turn, are part of the governing body of the society which is known as the Clan Council and it's leader is known as the High Chieftain. Leadership of the individual clans was traditionally inherited by the oldest child although exceptions have been known to occur. An heir to a clan may choose to designate a regent in his or her place or even opt out of their position should they feel the need. If the ruling clan chieftain felt that their oldest child was unsuitable for leadership, they had the option of choosing a new heir. This rarely happened, however, as Olari children were prepared and groomed for their role in life. Olari culture is primarily defined by their Honor Code which was put into place early on in their civilization in order to prevent the extinction of their race. The Code governs Olari behavior and, since it's inception, has become a formal law. Though the Code itself is strict and unbending, the Olari are flexible and have found creative ways to subvert the code without actually breaking it. As a result of this Code, the Olari have been found to have many things in common with the Jedi, including a higher calling in life. Also due to their force sensitivity, they possess a great zest for life. While not nearly as strong as the Jedi, an Olari battle group (pooling and utilizing their force sensitivity) was something to be feared. They were capable of creating a battle meld which helped enhance their combat effectiveness and, as a result, they were well-known for their fighting ability when they went to war amongst nearby systems. Few challenged them and, as a result, they came to see themselves as having a certain duty towards the Galaxy. History Pre-Republic Era The Olari civilization arose in the Olaran system which contained two habitable planets and a habitable moon as well. They were initially a warring race, fighting amongst themselves until they had almost exterminated their own race. It was at this point that a shift in Olari history happened with the creation of the Honor Code which would prevent a similar event from ever occuring. The Olari civilization continued to advance to the Republic Era with their warriors creating a name for themselves in any conflict. During one conflict, the Olari fought against a race that utilized whips in combat. The Olari responded by creating the Shoto which became their standard and symbolic weapon. Old Republic/Calculated Darkness The Olari Intelligence Network (OIN as it was originally known) was originally developed as a means for providing valuable information that would protect the Olari from any threats, but it later began providing intelligence to pertinent and worthy sources. Once such example was Bail Organa's Friends of the Republic. The Olari also uncovered a number of hyperspace routes, which they kept secret to themselves. As the Old Republic entered it's waning stages, the Olari earned a reputation as a mysterious and closed society, a perception that was untrue, but understandable given their location far from the core. When the Clone Wars broke out, many Olari did what they could to support the Jedi and the Republic. Despite their best efforts to stave off the coming darkness, Palpatine's Empire emerged regardless and the Olari civilization uprooted itself in-order to survive. Dark Times Palpatine, knowing that any force sensitive race was a danger to his rule, sent an armada of ships to Olaran with the intention of exterminating the Olari people. The Olari Intelligence Network, however, had forseen the attack and was able to warn the planet, and the Olari uprooted their entire society and culture and moved deeper into the Unknown Regions to occupy a system they named New Olaran. In order to ensure that the Olari stayed in the Unknown Regions, Palpatine utilized Olaran for his own ends, creating a small shipyard and self-sufficient colony as well as using the planet as a testing ground for Sith Alchemy. He used these techniques to recreated the Sith beast known as the Terentatek which he intended to use to hunt down any Jedi that might have survived Order 66. In the end, however, the experiment proved unsuccessful and the monsters were left to roam the planet uncontrolled. The colony, known as Delta Minor, was left to survive on it's own until the Beckoning Darkness Era. It should also be noted that, during this time period, the former Jedi Knight, Jak Orion and his son (by way of Genette Tresca), Danyel, moved to Olaran and joined the Olari society. Danyel was raised as the son of both cultures and, by the time of the Galactic Civil War, he had left the Unknown Regions to work as an intelligence operative. Galactic Civil War and the New Republic The Olari Intelligence Network continued to operate covertly during Palpatine's reign and it funneled information through Ariel Erose and Val Kessana who left New Olaran to join the Rebel Alliance. Near the end of the era, Danyel Orion came to head the intelligence network which he rechristened "Saber" in homage to the traditional Olari weapon. Following the Empire's defeat, the Olari continued to provide intelligence to the Jedi as well as Talon Karrde. Approaching Darkness During the Yuuzhan Vong War, Saber increased it's efforts, disseminating as much information as possible to its various contacts throughout the galaxy. The Olari on New Olaran, however, chose to adopt a "wait and see" attitude which Saber operatives found frustrating. A split began to develop between the two and it was solidified during the Battle of Yavin. The Olari were prepared to enter the war on the side of the New Republic when Ariel Erose became trapped on Yavin IV during the battle. Borsk Fey'lya, Chief of State of the New Republic, sold the academy out, hoping to buy time for the Republic to survive the onslaught. In doing so, he put the life of Ariel Erose, wife of the Kessana clan Chieftain, in danger. This singular act broke the Olari Honor Code and they withdrew all support from the New Republic, funneling information solely to contacts such as the Jedi, Talon Karrde and the Antarian Rangers. This event furthered the split between the Olari homeworld and Saber as a result of this isolationism. Each group still maintained ties to the other but the Saber operatives placed a much higher focus on helping the rest of the galaxy. As a result of this schism, members of Saber formed their own clan under Danyel Orion which became known as Clan Orion. At first, the clan was primarily made up of intelligence agents and their spouses and this would later translate into a tradition of intelligence service. Beckoning Darkness During the rise of Krayt's Empire, Saber passed information along to the descendents of Ariel Erose Kessana as well as helping to protect the Jedi following the Purge on Ossus. Soon after, the Olari and the Antarian Rangers worked to gather the scattered Jedi together for a definitive strike against Krayt's Empire. Despite the failure of the attack, some Olari agents became aware of the Hidden Jedi Temple and they funneled surviving Jedi to it. Legacy and Beyond The years inbetween the BD-era and the Crescendo-era proved to be a furthering of what the Olari had done for centuries prior. They continued to provide valuable information throughout the various conflicts to those they deemed worthy. However, the schism of previous years had become fully formed by 600 ABY and the Olari found themselves in two distinct camps defined by Saber and New Olaran. Crescendo During the Galactic Alliance-Mandalorian War, the Olari formed an Alliance with the Deltorans who now occupied Old Olaran. The Deltoran society had softened from it's original Imperial lines to a hierarchal yet moral society. Other Facts Olaran Crystals On their original homeworld, the Olari discovered an amber colored crystal which came to hold great significance in their society. During their ancient history, these crystals were used in jewelry and other valuables but, after Olaran's first contact with the Jedi, they found another use. The Olari incorporated lightsaber technology and the Olaran crystals into their shotos to create the first "shoto lightsaber." The blades were always a variation of amber (red-amber to gold amber) as a result. When the Olari people left Olaran for their new homeworld, they gathered as many crystals as possible and they became family heirlooms, passed onto new clan members during a right of adulthood. By the Beckoning Darkness era, the Olari had succeeded in growing new crystals on New Olaran. Kenobi's Legacy Prior to the Clone Wars, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and Antarian Ranger Genette Tresca saved the Drew Kessana, the son and heir of the Kessana Clan Chief who swore them a life debt as a result. It is because of this debt that Saber has always chosen a descendent of these individuals (beginning with Ariel Erose) to funnel information too. Notable descendents include: *Ariel Erose (wife of Val Kessana) *Cerrinea, Danyel, and Garen Warne *Kiera Kenobi See Also *Saber Behind the Scenes The Olari is the idea of Beckoning Darkness Administrator and Darkness Moderator Ariel Erose.